October 17, 2008
Dear MLK Families,
We’ve had a great beginning of the school year so far. From the excitement of the first day of school to curriculum night to our first University Musical Society field trips to parent-teacher conferences and MEAP tests this week, things have been moving along well. Even drop-off and pick-up are going fairly well ☺. I hope you agree. In any case, we’ve got a great community here. I hope to see many of you this Sunday at 1:30 for the PTO King of Hearts 5K. I hear that set-up volunteers are coming at 12:30.
Do you have a question? . . . or a suggestion?
Please give me a call, drop me a note, or email me at karrk@aaps.k12.mi.us. Of course, your child’s teacher can help too.
Introductions
At curriculum night I introduced our dynamite new staff members, but I now realize I haven’t written about them for the benefit of those who weren’t able to attend curriculum night. Here they are:
• Mrs. Lisa Teshima joins us as a first grade teacher. Most recently Mrs. Teshima taught at Northside School in Ann Arbor and has also taught in the Grosse Pointe school system.
• Ms. Stephanie Harris joins us as a fifth grade teacher. Ms. Harris is a newly hired teacher in the Ann Arbor Public Schools after student teaching at MLK School during the fall of the 07-08 school year with our own Mrs. Gracey and having two long-term substitute teaching positions last winter in the AAPS.
• Mrs. Ann O’Keefe joins us as our new media specialist. Mrs. O’Keefe spent the last eight years as a media specialist in Indian Prairie School District in suburban Chicago.
• Mrs. Kelly Boone is the teacher in our Cognitively Impaired communications classroom. Mrs. Boone actually started in the middle of last year, but this is the first year she has started at MLK.
• Mrs. Jessica Anderson is the Speech and Language Pathologist at MLK this year. Mrs. Anderson is newly hired and last worked as an intern at the Ann Arbor Preschool and Family Center.
• Mrs. Mary Spence joins us as our psychologist. She is widely known in Washtenaw County for the exceptional work she’s done for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District.
Front Drive Update
How do you think things are going in the front drive during drop-off and pick-up? Please let me know. I’ve appreciated the input I’ve received so far about our procedures. If you need a reminder about what the procedures are, please go to the King School website OR type the following link:
http://karrskingblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/drop-off-and-pick-up-policy.html
If you’d like to receive a hard copy of the procedures, please call the school office and we’ll send one home.
Thank Yous
A dedicated and helpful group of parents helps me each morning and afternoon to monitor drop-off and pick-up. I couldn’t appreciate them more. When you see any of the following parent volunteers, please thank them for what they do (in no particular order):
• Lola Killey
• Padma Anupindi
• Sumi Bhojani
• Luna Ganguly • Ray Stocking
• Jin-Wen Wan
• Mendan Chu
• Amy Cell • Alena Stocking
• Kathy Grijalva
• Michal Morah
If you’ve secretly wanted to help also, I’d appreciate your help as well. Give me a call or email and we’ll get you on the schedule too!
Thank you also to our PTO Board this year. The work and effort of the PTO Board this fall—and all of the volunteers who support them---has been tremendous and has certainly contributed to our good start up. The teachers and I appreciate the support of our PTO!
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Almost all families have signed up for parent-teacher conferences. Our goal is to have a conference with each family. We all know that students do better when there is good communication between teachers and home. The parent-teacher conference is often a starting point for families and teachers to identify strengths, needs and priorities for the upcoming year. If you haven’t scheduled a conference, please call the school office today!
School Improvement Team News
The MLK School Improvement Team met for the first time of the 2008-09 school year on Friday, October 3. The purpose of the MLK SIT team is to:
• Support the requirements of Education Yes!;
• Facilitate the improvement of MLK School through the analysis of achievement data;
• Implement strategies to support Education Yes! strand 4;
• Fulfill the requirements of Public Act 25 of 1990.
If you would like more information about Education Yes! or the School Improvement Team, please call me.
School Renovation Update
The plans for the MLK renovation were presented at the PTO meeting this past week. The general plans can be viewed in the school office if you didn’t attend PTO.
We will have an estimated surplus budget (money projected to be left over after the bond is fulfilled) of $171,000. This money can be used to fund "wish list" items, which were generated last year as part of the planning process. In no particular order, the "wish list" items show below. Not all of what shows on the list will necessarily be purchased. At this point we are brainstorming.
That said, one item will most definitely be at the top of the wish list: asphalt. Here’s why: Everyone on the planning team and who participated in last year’s meetings about the front drive thought it was clear we wanted the front drive to be resurfaced (but not reconfigured) because this is what was recommended. However, somehow resuracing was not included in the projections at the PTO meeting this week. This means that a chunk of the surplus will go towards asphalt and resurfacing. This is only alarming in that the planning team and I were expecting it to be included already. In addition, in the discussions I’ve had with many MLK parents about the renovations, I’ve shared that it was recommended to have the front drive resurfaced. Nevertheless, I've been reassured that this won't be a problem going forward.
If you think of something to be added to the list below for considersation, please let me know.
* Resurface asphalt areas in front of school and parking lot
* Ident-A-Kid visitor check-in system technology package (computer, printer, webcam)
* Ceiling mount existing data projectors in art room, music room, computer
lab, in media center and in office conference room
* Update signage around building
* Update cosmetics of parking lot entrance to make it look like an entrance (sign, planter)
* New classroom furniture – tables, chairs
* Elmo document projectors for all classrooms
* Smart/Active boards for all classrooms
* Replace hallway flooring, add pattern
* Replace flooring in classroom storage areas
* Carpet in the media center
* Carpet in teacher's lounge
* Ceiling tile replacement in media center.
* Upgrade sink and sink cabinet in the staff lounge
* Move classroom sinks closer to the center of the counter space
* New toilet in office bathroom
* Update older drinking fountain across from office
* Cabinet in office for medication
School Dates Coming Up
10/25 - MSU v. UM in football
10/27 - MEAP-Make-up ELA Part 2
10/28 - MEAP-Make-up Science
10/29 - MEAP-Make-up any subject as needed
10/30 - MEAP-Make-up any subject as needed. No testing after today.
11/4 - No School For Students; AM Professional Development and PM report writing.
11/4 – Election Day
11/7 - Popcorn Friday – popcorn will be served as a snack during the school day
11/7 - Picture Retake Day
11/7 – School Improvement Team meets
11/11 - PTO meeting
11/26 - 11/28 -- Thanksgiving break
12/1 - School resumes
12/5 – School Improvement Team meets
12/5 - Popcorn Friday
12/9 – PTO meeting
12/19 - Last day before winter break.
If you have questions or if there is something that needs clarification, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
Kevin Karr
king.a2schools.org
